1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sheet-by-sheet paper counting devices and more particularly to sheet-by-sheet document and currency counters.
2. Prior Art
Automatic paper counters, for example those used for counting currency in banks, are intended to reduce the great length of time required for manual counting of the documents or currency to thus effect a savings in labor costs. Thus, it is desirable to effect counting at the maximum speed at which the counter may run. Unfortunately, other factors have to be considered, mainly the fact that if the counter runs at high speed the papers being handled have a tendency to escape from the exit region, where they are supposed to be stacked, and become flying objects which sometimes strike the operator or operators in the eyes or elsewhere on the face. Further, as the bills are counted dust is generated which, with prior art devices, discharges into the working atmosphere and pollutes it. Further, the noise level when high speed counting is being accomplished is uncomfortably high. In the past, the approach to solving these problems has been to reduce the speed of counting. Of course, this defeats the basic purpose of having an automatic counter.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to overcome the problems of the prior art devices.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a high speed currency or paper counter which does not have its speed limited by the safety of the operator, as respects "flying" papers moving from the exit portion of the counter into the stacker portion.